Chapter 916: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 916: The Imperial Marriage (1)
Xiao Ruiyuan returned to the Wei Yuan Marquis’ residence, stepping through the starlit courtyard. After changing into his casual attire, he sat down at the dining table, where three dishes and a soup were already laid out. Given his status and the wealth of the Wei Yuan Marquis’ family, the meal seemed rather simple.
The Wei Yuan Marquis’ family held a noble title and had inherited a large fortune, much of which had been passed down to Xiao Ruiyuan. However, he had been raised in the military and was accustomed to hardship. He often went whole days without eating during battles, so his standards for food were not high.
Yet, despite the meal looking ordinary, there was a distinct, rich fragrance in the air that was noticeably different from usual, greatly stimulating his appetite.
Thinking it was due to a change in the kitchen staff, Xiao Ruiyuan didn’t pay much attention. But when he took a sip of the creamy fish head soup, he realized that it tasted much better than usual. He turned to Xiao Shiyi, saying, "This fish head soup is quite good. Ask the cook to make it again tomorrow."
Xiao Shiyi, like Xiao Jiu, had once been a shadow guard. Later, when Xiao Ruiyuan needed someone trustworthy to manage his daily affairs, he took Xiao Shiyi in as both a guard and a servant.
Xiao Shiyi, inhaling the fragrance of the fish head soup, couldn’t hide his greed and swallowed his saliva. "This fish was raised by Madam. Today, Qi Nan went over and brought a few back for the master to try."
Since Xiao Ruiyuan and Mo Yan were betrothed, Xiao Shiyi and the others had taken to referring to Mo Yan as "Madam" in private. They had discovered that when these two words were mentioned, their master became unusually easygoing. As a result, this form of address had become more frequent in Xiao Ruiyuan’s presence.
Without Xiao Ruiyuan’s approval, Qi Nan had dared not address Mo Yan so casually the first time they met, as it would have led to a heavy punishment.
Hearing that the fish had been specially sent by Mo Yan, Xiao Ruiyuan’s expression softened significantly. He ignored Xiao Shiyi’s envious gaze and finished all five bowls of rice with the fish head soup, leaving no soup behind, though he didn’t touch the other dishes at all.
After finishing the meal, Xiao Ruiyuan wiped his hands and face. He looked at Xiao Shiyi, who had an envious expression, and said, "You look hungry. You can have the remaining three dishes."
Without waiting for Xiao Shiyi’s reaction, he left the dining room and went to his study to handle official matters.
Xiao Shiyi stared at the three large dishes, feeling his stomach already full from earlier. He glanced at the direction his master had gone and looked utterly disheartened.
The next morning, before the Prince’s residence had received its usual ingredients, three live fish appeared in the kitchen: two from Wei Yuan Marquis’ residence and one from the Wu’an Marquis’s residence.
In reality, the fish was so delicious that neither Xiao Ruiyuan nor Yan Junyu was willing to share it with anyone else. However, since there were several fish and they couldn’t finish them all at once, they decided to send some to the Prince’s residence so that Prince Chu Heng could try it.
The Prince’s residence didn’t lack fish, but the fact that it was sent personally by Mo Yan made it special. The kitchen staff, understanding the significance, made sure the fish would be served to Prince Chu Heng and not to anyone else.
That evening, when Prince Chu Heng returned to the residence, a pot of fresh fish soup was added to the dining table. The fragrance of the fish filled the air, greatly increasing his appetite.
As he was about to sit down and have his meal served, Xiao Ruiyuan and Yan Junyu arrived together, clearly hoping to join him for dinner.
Although they saw each other daily, it wasn’t often that the three of them shared a meal. Prince Chu Heng, in high spirits, ordered a jar of wine to be brought out, planning to enjoy a good gathering with his two cousins.
However, just as the seal on the wine jar was being broken, a servant rushed in urgently. "Your Highness, His Majesty has arrived. He is at the front gate."
A look of surprise flashed across Prince Chu Heng’s face. He quickly stood up and headed outside. As ministers, Xiao Ruiyuan and Yan Junyu could not remain seated, so they followed him. At the second gate, the three of them saw Emperor Hui'an in plain clothes, accompanied only by Liang Gonggong and two palace experts for protection.
[End of Chapter]
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